The WE9V Antenna Farm

The WE9V Antenna Description

This picture shows both towers. The main tower is 100' of Rohn 45. Antennas on the main tower include a two stack of KLM KT-34XAs (32' booms) at 50' and 100'. These tri-band antennas cover 10, 15 and 20M. They are independently rotatable, with the bottom one on a homebrew swinging-gate side mount. On the top of the 15' mast, at 108' is a 2 element 40M yagi, a Cushcraft XM-240. The tower also supports my 2 element vertical dipole parasitic array for 80M. The tower is shunt fed for 160M and has 60 buried radials as well as 7 ground rods. Just above the lower KT-34XA is a M^2 6M5X, 5 element 6M yagi. which has been taken down by the wind. At about 90' is a Christmas star that you can see for over two miles. It certainly keeps the peace in the neighborhood. WE9V's Towers

The back tower, just to the right of the main tower this picture, is a 56' Rohn 25 type tower. It supports a second tribander (Mosley TA-34, 21' boom) at 56' and a Cushcraft A3WS at 61'. The A3WS is a 12 and 17M 3 element yagi. There are also low dipoles for 40M and 80M for high angle radiation that perform very well for local contacts. Lastly, I have a 700' long East-West beverage antenna.

Here's a picture of the back tower while we were installing the Cushcraft A3WS. Paul, K9PG is standing on the 2" boom of the tribander in order to install the A3WS. I am below him, assisting any way I could, mostly moral support to keep Paul's fear down, as not only is he standing on a 2" aluminum boom, but his climbing belt is only attached to the 2" aluminum mast. Below is the finished product, a Mosley TA-34 (21' boom tribander) at 56' and a Cushcraft A3WS at 61'.

Here's a close up of the main tower antennas. You can clearly see all of the antennas, including the wires for the 2-element 80M parasitic array. The 8' tall Christmas Star is quite visible as well. Both rotators are Hy-Gain T2X tailtwisters. Every antenna from 40M on up are fed with CATV hardline. I have over 2000' of 3/4" hardline buried in the yard and up the two towers. The shack is in the basement of the house, so the feedlines go to the basement window. Right before the window, is a homebrew SO2R antenna switch. Since I have more than 6 antennas, my homebrew version has ten positions. From this switch, feedlines go to an aluminum bulkhead with Polyphasor lightning protection devices.

Coax at House

View to Northeast

The local geography is small, gentle rolling hills. I am on the top of one of these small hills, with the ground sloping down about 50' in most directions. Here is the view towards Europe (Northeast) from on top of the tower.